Canadian staying in UK

Hi, I'm new here. I am nearing the end of my six month limit of staying in the UK.How long do I have to stay away after I leave before I can re-enter for another six month visa? Do I have to go back to (my native) Canada, or could I stay for a short while in, say France, before returning to the UK, for another 6 months? We (my fiancee is English) are wanting to get married but we left it a little late.are hoping that we will be granted the certificate of approval in 6 weeks! If we are unsuccessful in our application for the COA do you suggest I return with a fiancee visa? Thanks.

theoretically, u can go to france. in practice, u might be denied entry to the uk if u are unable to convince the immigration authorities that u not only have sufficient funds to support urself, but also the intention to leave the uk within a further six months. being married to a uk citizen does not automatically entitle u to live in the uk. u can apply for a fiancee visa or spouse visa only from ur normal country of residence, in other words canada, which means u must return to canada at some point.

ian.

Thank you Ian for your reply. I thought it automatically gave me citizenship when we got married? Do you think there is a chance of the home office granting us this COA? We want to be married anyway.

I really doubt they will let you back in the UK if you have already been here for 6 months as a visitor by just going out of the country for a few days. I think the six months is the length of time you are allowed in over a one year period.

I also think you are confused about the different type of visa available to you:
1- The certificate of approval is only for you and your partner to be able to marry in the UK. This is not used to be able to live or work here. You will have to go back to Canada after the wedding.

2 - If you are looking to settle in england and work, what you will need is:

Return to Canada to apply for a visa (you cannot apply from the UK)
You can then apply for a fiancee visa and with this you can move the to UK, you have to marry within 6 months (you cannot work on a fiancee visa) after you marry, you can apply for a wife visa
OR
You get married somewhere else (Canada?) and then apply for a wife visa and one you get it you can move to the UK and work

You do NOT get British citizenship by just getting married, to have this you have to live (settle) in the UK for at least 3 years (could be more now).You have to do a citizenship test and go to a ceremony.

you should have a look at the UK visa website:
www.ukvisas.gov.uk

hope this helps

.for your reply. It is much appreciated. We're going to hate being apart, but if we have to do it for a while, we will.so it's the fiancee visa next time round! Thanks again : )

Im not an expert but if you apply for a fiance visa before your other visa expries then im sure you are allowed to stay whilst that is in process?

Im from the UK originally and have been living with my Canadian girlfriend for three years in Canada. It works different here. I just renewed my 6 months visitors visa whilst my perm residency went through. I have to keep renewing them though which adds up cost wise whilst you wait.

We are now moving to the UK as well so will have all the joys of trying to sort her out a visa there when I come back. If we leave in October we will have lived for four years together outside of the UK so she can get Perm residency. Only problem with that is we want to move in August next year! The whole system is a pain in the a*se!
We (UK) let anyone in who wants to pick up benefits and spunge off the tax payer and make it easy for them giving them cash and a home but the genuine people who want to add to society and be a part of it have a job of getting in!
The whole system is wrong.

I think that stephaniefaith did not apply for a visa as Canadians don't need a visa to stay (visit) up to 6 months in the UK. She just came as a tourist and used all the time that she was allowed in the UK.

If she was on some sort of working visa, she would have been able to apply for the UK for the fiancee visa but she can't as she doesn't have a visa to stay in the UK.

Tactical1, make sure your girlfriend sort out her civil partner visa before moving to the UK as she needs to apply from Canada (and show the visa when she moves in the UK).
This will not give her immediately permanent residency, she will have a visa that will allowed her to stay and work in the UK for two years. After the 2 years she will be able to apply to stay permanently in the UK.

hope this helps

tactical1, i think joanne meant an unmarried partner visa. the uk grants civil partnership visas only to homosexual couples.

ian.

thanks Ian, yes I meant the Unmarried Partner visa !

Hello all,

I'm a Canadian and plan to fly to the UK to be there for the 6 month visitor stay period, which I've been told (by "WorldBridge Services" ) does not require a visitors visa. I'm going over there because my British Boyfriend lives there & I have close friends there as well.
The one document that I know I need to show at Heathrow is proof of funds in my bank account which will cover my stay. BUT NO ONE & NO webpage states the exact amount I must have available per day to cover my costs!! it's so frustrating! Do I need $75 / $100 / $150 per day to be accepted?
I'll be staying the whole time with one of my close friends at her house, so accomodation costs will be covered. I'm assuming that a signed letter written by my friend which confirms that she is accomodating me during my stay is what I'll need to have when I show up at customs as well?

Any clues about these 2 questions above?

The only document I know I'll need for sure is a return plane ticket showing that I'll be leaving the UK before the alloted six month stay period.

Many thanks

Lexi